Career Heroes - Hoda Beltagui

Tell us more about you

I completed a Master's in Structural & Architectural Engineering at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. Having enjoyed the research aspect of my final year dissertation, I decided to go on to do a PhD in Engineering at the University of Aberdeen, which was focused on cement chemistry and concrete materials. Outside of work, I focus on family life with my husband and son, and I enjoy reading, knitting, and crochet.

What kind of work do you do?

In my current role, I’m involved in several research and development projects across various divisions within the company. This can include anything from desk research to find out new information, carrying out lab trials to test new materials or products, to larger production trials.

Some projects I have been responsible for include the identification of potential applications for several waste material streams within the company, materials analysis and selection for use in different products, and development of sustainable products. I also contribute to enhancing the current knowledge of products through lab testing to improve the final performance. In addition to this, I also set up new test methods and calibrations within the labs when required to expand our in-house range of testing capabilities.

My work is split between office work and lab-based work in the various divisions of the company. I work three days per week from my workplace and two days per week from home. I work both independently and as part of a team. My day-to-day work is typically carried out independently involving desk research, writing up of reports, and carrying out lab trials. However, this work is often part of larger projects, which are brought together during team meetings.

How did you become a Materials R&D Engineer?

After secondary school, I went to university to complete a Master's in Structural & Architectural Engineering at the University of Stratchlyde, Glasgow. I then went on directly from this to do a PhD in Engineering at the University of Aberdeen.

After my PhD, I was given the opportunity to work as a research associate between Queen’s University Belfast and Mannok, which provided a good balance between academia and industry. I then took up a permanent position within Mannok, which is my current role.

A lot of the decisions or choices I have made during my career are based on what I enjoyed or found I was good at. For example, I decided to study engineering as I found I was good at maths and physics. I then enjoyed my final year research project, which led me to the decision to complete a PhD. Following on from my PhD, I found that I enjoyed the research aspect but did not wish to work in academia, and I was lucky to find a position within industry where I could carry on working in research.

If you could do-over, What would you do differently?

One thing I would do differently is to try to get involved more in different types of projects to allow me to open up more options in the future.